Western Railroad Discussion > Only in Omaha?

Today my wife and I were shopping in our West Omaha grocery store when a shopper stopped me and said, "You must have worked for UP."

Good guess as I was wearing a Union Pacific "letterman's" jacket with leather sleeves and a large embroidered UP "Elk" logo on the back, plus a red sweatshirt with a very large UP shield across my chest.

He was wearing a faded UP ball cap labeled "Council Bluffs Service Unit".  We started to shoot the breeze and he commented on how the company store used to have some great bargains like my jacket.  We were comparing notes and he said he worked for UP for 38 years.  I said he had me beat.  I was on the payroll for only 31 years,

While we were jabbering a young guy brushed by wearing a UP jacket labeled "Curve Gang."  He didn't stop.  I guess he didn't want get involved with us old farts.  I have never seen one of those jackets. I'm sorry he rushed  off.  I would have liked to talk to him.

JB - Omaha



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/21 18:47 by Copy19.

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John, I get the same questions out here as I wear my UP Steam shirts.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Is the Old Timers club still in business?

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots

You may be retired, but you are not forgotten outside of Omaha. You came to the front burner of many people for your chaperoning of the Trains dream team back in '95. When you put Frailey on the UP 9480 west (CBNP-10) with Gary Tamisiea, Dennis O'Connor, and Chuck Weiland that day, it gave the rest of the railroad world the confidence that UP would (and did) deliver. Different world, different mentality, different goals now. You exceeded expectations for the people and carrier when it mattered. That was a very special time. Thank you for being there.

I will always remember when you brought Boyd Matson and the NBC team to Cheyenne to highlight the UP's steam program.
That was an excellent report that Boyd put together with your assistance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNi75NljTOg

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/21 05:34 by Bob3985.

Yes.  Here's a link to the club.  <https://www.up.com/employee/upec/index.htm>

JB - Omaha

The “employee’s club” may exist on paper, but that’s about it. Now all the different clubs that divide people into diversified groups is the rage at Omaha. Division is the word of the day I guess.

Posted from iPhone

Great looking jacket!  I get comments as well when I am wearing my yellow wind breaker--UP Kansas Division 1980  Safety Award
Brian Stevens

I remember back in  the 80s Bill Wimmer in Cheyenne had a bright yellow Wyoming Divsion wind breaker.  I lusted over those but never got my hands on one.  I did have a Roseville Service Unit jacket that I finally wore out this winter.

JB - Omaha

My son and i were on a road trip a few years back and stayed at the Oak Tree Inn, Lincoln, NB We were checking in and the lady behind the counter asked we were with "MOW". My son does work for a UP subsidiary and was wearing a UP ball cap. It was obviously a facility well utilized by BNSF as there was a loose leaf book for BNSF employees to log in. From the question I'd guess UP crews also stay there.
Another time at an amusement park back east, the same son, at a much younger age, was wearing a Conrail T shirt someone gave him. A man walked up and asked if I was with Conrail. He was part of a Conrail gang that moved the retarders out of the ex-Reading Rutherford Yard near Harrisburg, PA, and installed them in Pavonia Yard, in Camden NJ.Neither yard has retarders today. Ironically my son was with the company that installed the remote switches when Pavonia went to flat switching.
Me, I only sub-contrated to build some cables for a company that built the controls for Conrail's Oak Island, NJ.hump. That was the closest I came to working for a railroad.
Gonut